militarywikiaorg-20200222-history
Adolf Borchers
|death_date=9 February 1996 (aged 82) |birth_place=Wendhausen near Lüneburg |death_place=Oberstaufen-Steibis |placeofburial= |placeofburial_label= Place of burial |image=AdolfBorchers2.jpg |caption=Adolf Borchers |allegiance= |serviceyears= |rank= Major |branch=Condor Legion Luftwaffe |commands= 11./JG 51, I./JG 52, III./JG 52 |unit=Jagdgruppe 88, JG 51, JG 52 |battles=Spanish Civil War World War II *Invasion of Poland *Battle of France *Battle of Britain |awards=''Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross'' |spouse=Christl Cranz |relations=Walter Borchers Hermann Borchers |laterwork=Ski school}} Adolf Borchers (10 February 1913, Wendhausen – 9 February 1996) was a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossFellgiebel 2000, p. 140. during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.Spick 1996, pp. 3–4. His brother, Major Walter Borchers received the Knight's Cross on 29 October 1944 as Gruppenkommandeur of III./Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 (NJG 5). A second brother, SS-Hauptsturmführer Hermann Borchers received the Knight's Cross on 16 October 1944 as commander of the I. Battalion of the SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 19. Biography He was born in Wendhausen near Lüneburg. He joined the Condor Legion in the fall of 1938 and participated as a Unteroffizier in the Spanish Civil War. After the Spanish Civil War he was transferred to 2./Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77) which later became 11./Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51).For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II. In this unit he fought in the Invasion of Poland, Battle of France and Battle of Britain, claiming 5 kills in the west. During Operation Barbarossa he accumulated further victories and by the end of 1941 his score had increased to 23 aerial victories. After being promoted to an Officers rank he was made Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 11./JG 51 on 8 October 1942. By the end of 1942 his score stood at 38 aerial victories. In 1943 Borchers married the famed skier Christl Cranz. For 78 aerial victories he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. On 11 June 1944 he was put in charge of I./Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52). He claimed his 100 aerial victory on 24 July 1944. His 118th victory claimed on 2 September 1944 is also noted for claiming JG 52 10,000th aerial victory.Weal 2004, p. 117 Gruppenkommandeur Borchers was transferred to III./JG 52 on 1 February 1945. Together with his comrades he surrendered to US force only to be turned over to Soviet forces. Borchers was officially credited with shooting down 132 enemy aircraft in more than 800 combat missions, the majority were claimed on the Eastern front and five were claimed in the Battle of France and Battle of Britain together.Spick 1996, p. 230 After World War II he and his wife, Christl Cranz, found a Ski school which she led until 1987. Awards *Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (13 October 1941)Obermaier 1989, p. 92. *German Cross in Gold on 15 October 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 11./JG 51Patzwall and Scherzer 2001, p. 52. *Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st class *Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 22 November 1943 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 11./JG 51 "Mölders"Scherzer 2007, p. 235. Notes References ;Citations ;Bibliography * Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945. Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5. * * * * Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. Ivy Books. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2. * Weal, John (2004). Aviation Elite Units Jagdgeschwader 52 The Experten. Osprey Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-84176-786-7. External links * * * Category:1913 births Category:1996 deaths Category:People from Lüneburg (district) Category:Condor Legion personnel Category:German World War II flying aces Category:Luftwaffe pilots Category:Recipients of the Gold German Cross Category:Recipients of the Knight's Cross Category:World War II prisoners of war held by the Soviet Union